Manufacture of products of concrete, cement, and the like.



H. S., OWEN.

MANUFACTURE CP PRODUCTS CP CONCRETE CEMENT, AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED APILI IatCntCCl Feb. 24;, wl@

5 SHEBTS-EBET l.

*Hill Inkl.,

Dn 0 T N E V N WITNEISSES: 57W 4W Maat/4 ASI-[ORN EYS,

H. S. OWEN.

MANUFACTURE 0E PRODUCTS OP CONCRETE, CEMENT, AND THE LAIKE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.1, 1910.

15087974' Patented Feb. 24, 1914.

5 SHEETS-HUET 2.

. r w INVENTOR; @W50 MMA/@Q9 4W, /2 5% ATTORNEYS.

H. s. OWEN. MANUFACTURE OF PRODUCTS OF CONCRETE, CEMENT, AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED APRfl, 1910.

5 SHEETS-'SHEET 3.

l 5 l K2 Eg 1f WITNESSES:

H. S. OWEN.

MANUFAGTURE OF PRODUCTS 0F CONCRETE, CEMENT, AND THE LIKE.

APPLIOATIOIv FILED APR.1

Patented Feb. 24, 1914.

INVENTOR.'

ATTORNEY@ WITNESSES:

H. S. OWEN.

MANUFACTURE 0F PRODUCTS 0F CONCRETE, CEMENT, AND THE LIKE.

AAAAAAAAAAA FILED APB. 1 1910.

1 087,974., Patented Fem/1,1914 6 EEEEEEEEEEEEE 5.

WITNESSES: I INVENTOR MMM,

ATTORNEY i HERBERT S. OWEN, 0F SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH.

MANUFACTURE OF PRODUCTS OF CONCRETE, CEMENT, AND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 24, 1914.

appucaetn mea apra 1, wie. seran No. 552,871.

To all whom 'it may concern Be itpknown' that I, HERBERT S. OWEN, acitizen of the United-States, residing at l841 South Temple street, SaltLake City, county of Salt Lake, State of Utah, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Manufacture of Products of Concrete, Cu ment,and the like; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to certainx new and useful improvements in themanufacture of products made from compositions which are adapted to bepoured or otherwise introduced in a relatively cool condition, intomolds and to subsequently set therein. A familiar instance of thesecompositions is what is conventionally known as concrete, usedextensively in the manufacture of concrete blocks, tiles, bricks, andthe like, and consists of cement (usually Iortland cement, althoughother cementS, such as magnesia cement, may be employed), together withsand, .or s'and and gravel. It will be understood, however, that thematerial concrete is but typical of many other compositions of a similarcharacter in so far as their pouring and setting qualities areconcerned, which arge adapted for use in connection with my invention,as will-hereinafter more fully appear. It will likewise be evident thatmy invention is not restricted to t-he manufacture of blocks, tiles andbricks, but `is applicable to many other products ,of an analogouscharacter, such as slabs, fence-posts,

beams. drain-pipes, sewer-pipes, shingles, and the like, either solid,cored, paneled, frogged, or hollow.

The practice of my invention permits me to manufacture these products ata reason able cost on a very large scale. Its main characteristicfeature is the employment of a fusible, soluble, or liquefiablematerial, such as paraffin waX, or a mixture of paraffin wax andstearin, employed in such manner in the manufacture of the molds inwhich the concrete or like composition is cured or otherwise introduced,that it may readily and quickly melted off or dissolved from the castproduct, after the product has set. This melting oli' or dissolving ofthe mold is readily effected, in accordance with my practice,

in a heated medium such as water, wherein on account of the lesserspecic gravity of the paraffin, or its equivalent, the mold materialwillrisel to the surface of the water and can readily be recovered forre-use. In fact, in my preferred procedure, my invention contemplates acycle of operations, begmning, first, with the manufacture of the moldsfrom the paraffin direct and at the place where the concrete or likeproducts are to be made, then the pouring of the composition into themold, `the setting of the material therein, the freeing of the roductfrom the molds by submergence in t e hot water tank, and the recovery ofthe araiiin as 'it accumulates on the surface of the water vat, and itsre-use for the manufacture of additional molds.

The generic features incident to the ractice of my invention are capableof ein odiment in a number of different Ways. One of these specificembodiments is shown, by

way of illustration, in the accompanying drawings, with severalmodifications.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents, partly in section and partly inelevation, one

for-m or modification of apparatus adapted for the practice of myinvention, in so far as the manufacture of the moldsris concerned; Fig.2 representsy'a view of the same parts, at the termination ofV a dippingoperation; Fig. 8 represents a like View of the mold-former, and shows amultiple mold made thereby and stripped from the moldformer; Fig. 4represents in section the multiple mold, mounted upon a wheeled platformand in the act of being filled with the poured concrete; Fig. 5represents, in longi tudinal section a suitable form of hot water tankand indicates the manner in which the paraffin or its equivalentconstituting the mold walls is recovered for re-use, While the concreteproduct is set free; Fig. 6 represents a section taken on the line 6-6of Fig. 2; Fig. 7 represents a section taken on the line 7--7 of Fig. 3;Fig. 8 represents, in perspective, one of the brick products made in themold of Fig. 7 Fig. 9 represents a vertical sect-ion and partialelevation of a modification of the construction shown in Fig. 3; Fig.l() represents, in perspective,

one of the products made in ythe mold of Ymultlvle mold of the kindproduced, by v. v

apparatus shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 12 represents, in perspective, afragmentary View of the mold, made in the device shown' in Fig. 9; Fig.13 represents a section on the line 13--13 of Fig. 11; Fig. 14represents a section on the line 14-14 of Fig. 11; Fig. 15 represents,partly in section and partly in elevation, a modification of themold-forming apparatus shown in the preceding figures; Fig. 16represents a like view of the mold-forming devices immediately after thedipping operation. Fig. 17 represents the same after the stripping ofthe multiple mold; Fig. 18 represents the inversion of said mold, andthe pouring operation as conducted therein; Fig. 19 represents aview,similar to Fig. 16, of a further modification. Fig. 20 represents inperspective, a bottom View, partly broken away, of the moldformer shownin Fig. 15. Fig. 21 represents a corresponding view of the mold producedby said mold-former.

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates a suitable tank for holdingparaffin, 2, or its equivalent, which tank may be heated in any suitablemanner to melt the paraiiin, as, for instance, by a gas burner, 3.

The mold-forming devices proper, in the vexempliication shown in Figs.1, 2, and 3, consist of a base 4, mounted to slide upon the guide rods5, of a strip er frame, having a yoke 6, provided Wit an internallyscrew-threaded central boss 7, with which engages the externallyscrew-threaded stem 8, carrying the hand Wheel 10. The base, 11, of thestripper frame is provided with suitable apertures through which projectthe mold-formers proper, 12, which are preferably hollowed out orrecessed internally, as shown at 12, and are provided with ventopenings, 13.

Intermediate of the molo-former 12, and spaced at intervals apart (asindicated in Fig. 6), auxiliary formers, 14, may be employed. Wheneverit is desired to have a cellular structure involving the production ofstrengthening cross Webs in the dividing walls or partitions of themultiple mold, as will hereinafter more fully appear; but theseauxiliary-formers, although highly useful for their intended purpose,may be dis- Y pensed with where the formation of cross Webs in thepartition is not desired.

,It is important for the successfulpractice of my invention that themold-formers, as they are dipped into the melted bath of paraitin or itsequivalent, shall have already received a surface coating of Water. ThisWater should be relatively colder than the matted material, and is aneiicient safeguard against such adhesion of the film of .paraliin to themold-formers as would interfere with the stripping of the completed moldfrom the mold-formers. I have foundA that this canbefully andconveniently assured by making the mold-formers of a material which willabsorb moisture, thusvremaining permanently V Wet to a greater or lessdegree, such as Wood, or by making them, say, of metal, having an outersheath or coating of such moisture-absorbing wood, cloth, leather, orthe like', kept permanently Wet, by dipping it from time to time in coldwater,`or otherwise giving it the desired cold water film sufficient forthe purpose.

In the paraiiin vat 1, I place a quantity of Water, 15, which will serveas an intermediary between the gasburner, 3, or other heating source,and the `paraflin to be melted. When the paran is in the meltedcondition, and with the moistened mold-forming devices in the adjustmentindicated in Fig. 1, I dip the mold-former proper (12) and the auxiliarymold-formers,'14, (if the latter are to be employed)` into themeltedparaiin. I thereupon immediately withdraw the mold-formers fromthe melted parain. As indicated in Fig. 2, on the Withdrawal of themold-formers, it will be found that they will carry with them, a thinfilm of parain, which may, if necessary, after cooling slightly, beincreased in thickness to the desired degree, by a repetition orrepetitions (say, from 2 to 4) of thedipping operation. The film ofparaffin, or its equivalent, thus obtained upon the mold-formelsconstitutes the thin-walled paraffin mold of my invention, in the sensethat it is of a character which will permit pouring of the concretecomposition ora like mixture into it, and the subsequent easy meltingoff of the paraffin from the molded product after the latter has set, sothat the paraihn may be in conditionfor re-use. When this thin-walledmold is produced by dipping the moldformers a number of times insuccession into the liquid paraiiin, the walls of the mold are made upof a plurality or series of film-like layers of parafiin. The mold isthus stronger and capable of resisting lateral stresses to a greaterdegree than if its Walls were homogeneous. This is due to the fact thatthe chilling of each'successive layer or film of paraffin, after it hasbeen applied, causes such layer to contract and tightly grip itself uponthe previous layer or layers, so that the laminated mold obtained by thesuccessive dipping and chilling operations has correspondingly greaterstrain-resisting qualities.

As indicated in Fig. 3, the parain mold, indicated by the numeral 16,may then be readily stripped from the fmold-formers by turning the handwheel 10, in such direction that the mold-formers will ride through thebase 11 of the stripper. The moist surfaces of the mold-formers, as hasbeen hereinbefore explained, so far minimizes adhesion between theparain and the mold-formers themselves that the stripping operation isattended with no difficulty, and the mold is received `intact upon theplate or table,l 17, provided for its'reception.

By reference to Fig. 6, it will be noticed, that in my preferredpractice, I not only employ a plurality of the mold-formers ransverselyof 'the base 4, thereby forming transverse rows of mold-formels, but Ialso form longitudinal series of the moldformers. This is, of course,for the purpose of making at a single operation, as many of theindividual thin-walled parafiin molds as may be serviceable for thepurposes int tended, this capability being of special im portancelwherea large output of the prod ucts is contemplated, as, for instance, inthe manufacture of regular shaped concrete products in large demand onthe market, such as bricks, tiles, and the like. For this manufacture,and for like uses, I prefer to 'arrange' the mold-formers sufficientlyfar apart, as indicated in Fig. G, to provide a hollow wall, as thedividing partition, or partitions, between the members of the transverseseries, as well as between the members of the longitudinal series ofmoldformers. VThis hollow wall may be devoid of cross-webs, z'. c. itmay consist of vertical sides joined at their tops only. In someinstances, however, I prefer to provide crosswebs across the side wallsthereby bonding them together into hollow party-walls. In order toproduce such cross-webs, 18, across these hollow walls or dividingpartitions, auxiliary formers, such as the auxiliary formers 14, may beemployed. These auxiliary formers, 14, I have indicated in Fig. 6 by wayof example, as applied to the for mation of crosswebs across the hollowwalls formed by the transverseseries of moldformers 12. The format-ionof the crosswebs, 18, is, of course, due to the formation of a film ofparaffin, along the edges of these auxiliary formers, 14, as they emergefrom the paraflin vat. If they should be omitted, as, for instance,between the longitudinal series of the mold-former, 12, the crosswe'bsin the mold would not beformed, but the dividing partition wouldbehollow from end to end, as indicated at 19, in Fig. 6. It will befurther understood that if the individual mold-formers, 12, are locatedmore closely together, or if the dipping operation is repeated for asuflicient' number of times, the dividing wall. or partition between theindividual mold-recesses or cavities, can be made solid instead ofhollow, although, in most instances. l prefer the hollow structure,because, for the saine amount of paraffin employed, the mold is of amore rigid and stable construction, and less liable to deformation inuse. So, also, the cross-webs, although they may be omit-ted, arenevertheless, strengthening elements which, in some instances, areespecially serviceable.

In Figs. 7., 11, 13 and 14, I have illustrated in detail, theconstruction of the multiple or cellular mold made by the employment ofthe mold-forming devices shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. The moldl thusformed is of very substantial stability. The longitudinal and crosspartitions, .in spite of the thinness of the walls or paraflin filmsconstituting them, serve to brace the entire structure into a unit whichwill withstand even rough handling, and the outlying rim, 20, extendingbeyond the exterior walls of the composite mold, adds a. further elementof' strength and sta bility to the structure.

In 4 vl have illustrated one of these multiple molds, mounted upon atruck, Q1, having suitable wheels. The concrete com! position. or thelike, is shown as occupying three of the transverse cells or recesses ofthe mold. while the fourth of the series is in the act of being filledfrom the supply spout, 22. .it the terminationof this filling operation,the trucks, with the filled molds, are taken away to a locality wherethe molded products are permitted to set sufficiently for the nextensuingr step, to wit, the melting oit of the paraffin. As soon as themolded products have thus suiciently set, the'truck, with the filledmolds upon it, is run into a submergence tank. 23 as indicated, forinstancen in Fig. This tank contains a body of water, E24, which may beheated in any suitable way, as, for instance by means of steam,electricity, or by the gas jet, 25, shown in said figure. lntermediateof the submergence tank, l arrange the partitions QG. and in the spacelying between and below these partitions, the truck is brought to atemporary standstill. rThe heat of the water promptly melts the thinwalls of the` paraiin molds, whereupon the paraffin, being of' lighterspecilic gravity than the water, rises to the, surface and collectsbetween the two partitions. 26. as indicated by the numeral 27, in Fig.The molded concrete prm'lucts, thus relieved of their outer coating of'paraflin. then rest directly upon the truck. and are moved out of thetank upon the truck, to re place to the next succeeding truckload offilled molds. In .so tar as the partitions, 2G. are concerned, the onenearest the. entrance side for the truck mayv be omit-ted withoutspecial disadvantage. inasmuch as their main purpose (i. f. to preventthe paraffin from spreading over the surface of' the water ai the placewhere the truck and its products emerge therefrom) is efficientlyperformed by the other.

From the subinergence tank, the molded products are conveyed either toa. steam cur ing room, or are permitted to finish their curing', settingand hardening` in a hot water bath, similar to the submergcnce tank. Thebody of paraiiin, 27, may be then collected, as soon. as it hasaccumulated in sufficient.

quantities, and can be re-used in the general cycle of operations.

The particular form of mold shown in Figs. 7, ll, 13 and 14 is adaptedto produce the brick shown in F ig. S, of a size and shape adapted forthe usual building purposes, for which ordinary clay brick or pressedbrick, are employed, but it will, or course, be evident. that theparticular shape and dimensions of the product thus illustrated, are notof the essence of the invention, inasmuch, and especially as hereinaftershown, the invention is applicable to much more widely extended uses;

In the form of apparat-us shown in Fig. 9, the stripper frame providedwith a series of depending projections, 28, extending down through andoccupying the hollow interiors of the mold-formels. l2', when the latterhare been retracted to the mold-stripping position illustrated in thatgure. There are thus produced hollow projections spaced apart in themold. as indicated in Fig. 12, which form, in conjunction with the sidewalls and cross and longitudinal partitions, 30 31. mold cavities Jforproducing the rectangular tile shown in Fig. 10. It will also be notedthat. in the apparatus of Fig. 9, I have shown the iucld-t'ormers l2',provided with an outer covering, 33, which ma)v be of absorbentmaterial. such as cloth, or leather, adapted to absorb and retainmoisture. so as to be covered with a tilmthereot, as hereinbeforeexplained.

In Figs. l5, l@ and l?, I have shown another torin-of apparatus for thepractice of my invention, and in Fig. '20 I have shown in perspective abottom view ot' the moldformers thereof. These mold-tormers` 12b. asarranged. have the general appearance ot' a picket-tence. and, in risingfrom the lparatlin vat. produce a mold, which, when inverted, hashollows in the side walls and in the cross and longitudinal partitions,all as shown in Fig. 2l, wherein the casting cavities are indicated bythe numeral 3,4. The peculiar wavv conformation of the surfaces, asshown in Fig. Q1. is due to the particular spacing of the mold-formels.12b. In order to prevent the pocketing of air in the spaces between themold-formels, vents are pro vided.

In the form tif-apparatus shown in Fig. 10, the mold-formels 1Q areintended to be continuous strips instead of being made up of series ofindividual pickets and similar vents are provided for a like purpose. Itwill, of course. be understood that whereever a vent necessariv toinsure the success of a dipping operation. the clesirigl of the vent bythe first dip will necessitate its rcopening should it be desired Vtorepeat the dipping operation to obtain walls of greater thickness: or,in the alternative, the obtaineven the obtaining of the rst film) couldbe obtained by inverting the mold-tormers, pouring paraffin therein, andquickly draining it by again restoring the mold-formels to the. pendantposition.

Fig. 18 represents the mold, as made bv either of the last describedforms ot` appa ratus. in the lact of being filled bv the concrete orlike composition.

Emphasizing further the feature ot moistening the surfaces of themold-fermiers before dipping them into the melted paratlin or its.equivalent, I desire to point out that not. only does the -ilm ofmoisture prevent adhesion of the paratlin to the mold-tormers, but italso serves to vent the mold cavitiest for the. reason that as soon asthe stripping operation is started, the external air tinds readnv accessto the interior of the mold cavities by passing into the ertreme:v smallbut sufhcient interspaces between the walls' otl said cavities and thesurface of the moldt'ormers, the presence of the tilm of moisture beingfound in practice not to interfere with this venting of the moldcavities.

In the practical use of niv invention, although the concrete compositionor the like ma1 be introduced into the mold cavities in an;v desiredwatv and in anyY desired consistency. I nevertheless prefer to pour itin in a liquid condition. In making up a concrete composition to be thuspoured, I also contemplate in most instances preparing the liquidcomposition as t'ollows: I supply to a rotating drum, or similaragitating and mixing device, the desired proportion of cement, which isto form an element of the final composition, and I agitate and mix thecement with warm water in excess tor, sav half an hour or moret untilthe particles of cement have had an opportunity to fully absorb the`amount of water that the1 are adapted to take up. rIhe particles ofcement thus become correspondingly swollen and are in such condition asto readily7 adhere to the sand and gravel. I thereupon decant the excessof water, after the drum has been brought to a standstill and after thecement has settled. and I then add to the cement the predeterminedquantityr ofy sand and gravel to make up the final mixture. The finalmixture of cement, sand and gravel, making up the concrete composition,is then in a duid condition and can be readilv poured into the molds.

It will be understood that the mold represented in Fig. Q1 presents tothe concrete composition introduced into its casting recessesl theoutside or reversesurtace of the paratiin tihn applied duringr thedipping opration: inv contra-distinction to the molds shown in Figs. lland lf2. wherein the con crete composition introduced into the moldcavities comes in contact with the inner suring of such additional Wallthickness (and face of the paraliin film or layer, that is, the

surface which, in the dipping operation, is adjacent to the surface othe mold-formers. There are certain advantages in both constructions.Thus, the concrete product cast in the recesses of the molds shown inFigs. 11 and 12 are usually morelexact reproductions of the mold-formersin so far as the sharpnessof outline is concerned, whereas the castingrecesses of the mold. Fig. 21, are somewhat smoother along their wallsurfaces.

It will, of course, be understood that in referring to paraflin in theclaims, I do not intend to' restrict myself to the employment of parat'nof any particularl melting point, inasmuch as lthe market aiiordsparailin products of various melting points, suitable for the purpose,nor do I intend to restrict myself to the use of paraffin alone. Infact, as hereinbefore indicated, it is en tirely feasible to employ amixture of parafin and stearin, or any other equivalent for paraffin orfor a mixture of paraiiin and stearin, having like capabilities of use,that is, capa-ble of being made into a mold within which the concrete orlike product can. beintroduced by pouring or otherwise, and which,afterthe product is set, can be dis solved or melted oft through the agencyof` heat, as,- for instance, by means of steam, hot water, or the like.Y l l In two other applications for Letters Patent of the United States,Serial Nos. 552,872 and 552,873 led of even date herewith, I havedescribed the productions of molds of paraffin the application ofpressure to a semi-plastic mass of paralin contained in a formingfchamber, and, (2) by applying to a rigid frame a dip-coatin of parafhn,and theni attaching the para ned frame to a paratliu base. In both ofthese instances, the coni or its equivalent, (1) by l crete compositionis introduced into the mold cavities, the composition is permitted toset, the product is released from the mold throughthe agency of heat,and the parailin is recovered for re-use, all in manner similar to thelike operations described in the present application. It will beunderstood, therefore, that the generic claims hereinafter made.covering the introduction of the concrete composition into a parailinmold and the subsequent operations resulting in the obtaining of the nalconcrete product, are intended to be of a scope to likewise cover thesame operationsl when practised in molds of the types shown anddescribed in my two other pending applications thus referred t0.

What I claim is:

l. The method of making bricks, tiles and other products of concrete,cement and the like, consisting in making a hollow seamless mold offusible material,pouringinto said mold the cement mixture in liquid or{iowing condition, allowin said mixture to set,

and finally removing t e mold from the cement casting by fusing it,substantially as described.

2. The method of making bricks, tiles and other products of concrete,ylcement and the like, consisting in making a hollow watertight mold offusible material. pouring into said mold the cement mixture in liquid orflowing condition, allowing said mixture to set, and finally removingthe mold from the `cement casting by fusing it, substantially asdescribed.

Intestimony whereof I affix my signature, in presence` of two witnesses.

` HERBERT S. OWEN.

Witnesses:

.JOHN C. PENNIL, IVILLIAM H. DAVIS.'

